Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Navaka Nipāta
III. Satt'Āvāsa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Nines
Chapter III: Spheres of Beings
Sutta 26
Silā-Yūp'Opama Suttaṃ
The Stone Column
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once when the venerable Sāriputta and the venerable Candikāputta[1] were dwelling near Rājagaha
in the Bamboo Grove at the Squirrel's Feeding Ground,
the venerable Candikāputta addressed the monks, saying:
"Reverend sirs, Devadatta taught Dhamma to the monks thus:
'When, sirs, the mind of a monk
is heaped[2] around with thoughtfulness,
it is proper for that monk to explain:
"I know that birth is destroyed,
the godly life lived,
done is what was to be done
and there is no more life in these conditions."'"
■
Now when he had thus spoken,
the venerable Sāriputta said:
"Nay, reverend Candikāputta,
Devadatta[3] taught not Dhamma so:
'When, sirs, the mind of a monk
is heaped around with thoughtfulness,
it is proper for that monk to explain:
"I know that birth is destroyed,
the godly life lived,
done is what was to be done
and there is no more life in these conditions."'
■
but he taught the monks thus:
'When, sirs, the mind of a monk
is well heaped around with thoughtfulness,
it is proper for that monk to explain:
"I know that birth is destroyed,
the godly life lived,
done is what was to be done
and there is no more life in these conditions."'
§
A second time[4] the venerable Candikāputta addressed the monks, saying:
"Reverend sirs, Devadatta taught Dhamma to the monks thus:
'When, sirs, the mind of a monk
is heaped around with thoughtfulness,
it is proper for that monk to explain:
"I know that birth is destroyed,
the godly life lived,
done is what was to be done
and there is no more life in these conditions."'"
Now when he had thus spoken,
the venerable Sāriputta said:
"Nay, reverend Candikāputta,
Devadatta taught not Dhamma so:
'When, sirs, the mind of a monk
is heaped around with thoughtfulness,
it is proper for that monk to explain:
"I know that birth is destroyed,
the godly life lived,
done is what was to be done
and there is no more life in these conditions."'
but he taught the monks thus:
'When, sirs, the mind of a monk
is well heaped around with thoughtfulness,
it is proper for that monk to explain:
"I know that birth is destroyed,
the godly life lived,
done is what was to be done
and there is no more life in these conditions."'
§
And a third time the venerable Candikāputta addressed the monks, saying:
"Reverend sirs, Devadatta taught Dhamma to the monks thus:
'When, sirs, the mind of a monk
is heaped around with thoughtfulness,
it is proper for that monk to explain:
"I know that birth is destroyed,
the godly life lived,
done is what was to be done
and there is no more life in these conditions."'"
Now when he had thus spoken,
the venerable Sāriputta said:
"Nay, reverend Candikāputta,
Devadatta taught not Dhamma so:
'When, sirs, the mind of a monk
is heaped around with thoughtfulness,
it is proper for that monk to explain:
"I know that birth is destroyed,
the godly life lived,
done is what was to be done
and there is no more life in these conditions."'
but he taught the monks thus:
'When, sirs, the mind of a monk
is well heaped around with thoughtfulness,
it is proper for that monk to explain:
"I know that birth is destroyed,
the godly life lived,
done is what was to be done
and there is no more life in these conditions."'
§
And how, reverend sirs, is the mind of a monk
well heaped around with thoughtfulness?
His mind is well heaped around with thoughtfulness
as to being passion-free,
hatred-free,
delusion-free,
free of any passionate condition,
hateful condition,
delusive condition,
free of any condition of return
for becoming in (the worlds of) sense, form and no form.
■
Thus, reverend sirs, if[5] objects cognizable by the eye
come very strongly into the range of vision
of a monk, wholly freed [272] in mind,
they overwhelm not his mind
and his mind is unconfused and firm,
being won to composure,
and he marks their set.[6]
■
If sounds cognizable by the ear
come very strongly into the range of hearing
of a monk, wholly freed in mind,
they overwhelm not his mind
and his mind is unconfused and firm,
being won to composure,
and he marks their set.
■
If smells cognizable by the nose
come very strongly into the range of smell
of a monk, wholly freed in mind,
they overwhelm not his mind
and his mind is unconfused and firm,
being won to composure,
and he marks their set.
■
If tastes cognizable by the tongue
come very strongly into the range of taste
of a monk, wholly freed in mind,
they overwhelm not his mind
and his mind is unconfused and firm,
being won to composure,
and he marks their set.
■
If touches cognizable by the body
come very strongly into the range of feeling
of a monk, wholly freed in mind,
they overwhelm not his mind
and his mind is unconfused and firm,
being won to composure,
and he marks their set.
■
If ideas, cognizable by the senses,
come very strongly into the range of the senses
of a monk, wholly freed in mind,
they overwhelm not his mind
and his mind is unconfused and firm,
being won to composure,
and he marks their set.
§
Imagine,[1] reverend sirs,
a stone column sixteen cubits[8] long and one[9] half of it,
eight cubits, below (ground)
and the other eight cubits above;
and suppose the wind and rain
were to blow very strongly from the east,
they would not shake it,
nor make it quake nor tremble.
■
And suppose the wind and rain
were to blow very strongly from the west,
they would not shake it,
nor make it quake nor tremble.
■
And suppose the wind and rain
were to blow very strongly from the north,
they would not shake it,
nor make it quake nor tremble.
■
And suppose the wind and rain
were to blow very strongly from the south,
they would not shake it,
nor make it quake nor tremble.
And wherefore?
Owing to the depth of one half, reverend sirs,
owing to the well dug state of the stone column.
§
It is, verily, even thus, reverend sirs,
when objects, cognizable by the eye,
come very strongly into the range of vision
of a monk, wholly freed in mind,
they overwhelm not his mind
and his mind is unconfused and firm,
being won to composure,
and he marks their set;
■
sounds, cognizable by the ear,
come very strongly into the range of hearing
of a monk, wholly freed in mind,
they overwhelm not his mind
and his mind is unconfused and firm,
being won to composure,
and he marks their set;
■
smells, cognizable by the nose,
come very strongly into the range of smell
of a monk, wholly freed in mind,
they overwhelm not his mind
and his mind is unconfused and firm,
being won to composure,
and he marks their set;
■
tastes, cognizable by the tongue,
come very strongly into the range of taste
of a monk, wholly freed in mind,
they overwhelm not his mind
and his mind is unconfused and firm,
being won to composure,
and he marks their set;
■
touches, cognizable by the body,
come very strongly into the range of feeling
of a monk, wholly freed in mind,
they overwhelm not his mind
and his mind is unconfused and firm,
being won to composure,
and he marks their set;
■
and ideas, cognizable by the senses,
come very strongly into the range of the senses
of a monk, wholly freed in mind,
they overwhelm not his mind
and his mind is unconfused and firm,
being won to composure,
and he marks their set.'
[1] 'Son of the moon,' called bo on account of his mother. Comy.
[2] Cetasā cittaṃ paricitaṃ, we should read so for supari- of our text. Comy. explains: cittācārapariyāyena cittācārapariyāyo cito vaḍḍhito hoti; on Sāriputta remark: ... uparūpari cito suvaḍḍhito hoti.
[3] See above, p. 109.
[4] The text repeats much in full. [Ed. Spelled out in full here.]
[5] Cf. Vin. i, 184; A. iii, 377 (G.S. iii, 269).
[6] Comy. Both the rising and setting; cf. Vism. 694.
[7] This simile recurs at S. v, 445; cf. above, p. 70.
[8] Kukkuka. Comy. hattha.
[9] Heṭṭhā nemassa ... upari nemassa; most MSS. with S. and Comy. ... nemaṇgama ... nemassa, explaining: āvāṭassa heṭṭhā gatā, upari āvāṭassa (Hewa. edition of Mp. omits the latter part, Colombo 1922 ed. provides). K.S. v, 376 translates: 'below ... above the pedestal,' deriving nema, with P.E.D. from nemi, a rim - i.e., the place where the column appears out of the ground; but generally (if not always) heṭṭhā (and upari) when used as a prep, follows the noun it governs; cf. our Comy. as quoted; D. i, 198; PvA. 113 (P.E.D. treats as adv.); Childers s.v. I think nema is na-ima: not this, another, the one, half, see Mcd. Sk. Dict, s.v., and I so translate.
